It's a Boy!

Mom is in the midst of a Stitching Frenzy!
She's now started a Bent Creek Zipper kit.

No sign of Sapsuckers this week, but everyone else reported in.

I was pleased though to see a Downy Woodpecker hanging out with a Cedar Waxwing.

Still no Downys at my feeders, I'm just glad I see them in trees close by.

The Hairy Woodpeckers and Acorn Woodpeckers are about the same size.

Apparently they can be close to one another without territorial disputes. 

I have at least three Hairy Woodpeckers.

One male.

And two females.

They make a high pitched "peep" as they fly in.

It will be interesting to see if they stick around this winter.

I am finally seeing my Acorn Woodpeckers more often, and seeing more birds.

Three at one time!

Still the mature male is the one I see most often.

"What's the worry?! Aren't I a handsome bird?"

This one is puffy...

 I think it might be a newly fledged juvenile.

I know it is a juvenile male with this series of photos as proof!

Dad is feeding Baby Boy.

He is fat and puffy while Dad is sleek and slim.

Ah, but he is a cutie!

The Acorn Woodpecker eggs take 10-14 to hatch and then are nestlings for close to a month.  That pretty much explains why I see so little of the birds from July through mid-August. 

Interestingly, the Flickers seem to be on a schedule where their young are raised and fledged earlier than the Acorn Woodpeckers.

I am writing this post with the rapid thunk-thunk-thunk of a Flicker hammering on the roof. 

Two Pileated Woodpeckers stopped Thursday morning.

Here's the female.

The red on her head stops at the eyes.

The male has a red mustache and red on his head to his bill.

I even heard a third bird calling, though I did not see it.

Amazingly the Acorn Woodpeckers ran off the Pileateds and they moved to another snag.

This time the male was working atop the tree... 

...while the female hammered away on a lower branch.

I hope you've enjoyed this week's Woodpecker Roundup!